Suspected Islamic State (IS) fighters killed at least 36 truffle hunters and five shepherds in Syria on Sunday, in the latest attacks by jihadists in the war-torn country. The attacks also saw the jihadists open fire on animals, killing 250 sheep. In addition, two other shepherds were kidnapped. Since February, more than 240 people have been killed in IS attacks targeting truffle hunters or by landmines left by the extremists. Syria’s war has claimed the lives of around half a million people and displaced millions since it began in March 2011. Remnants of explosives laid by all sides in the conflict are now claiming more lives in Syria than anywhere else in the world, according to the United Nations.
Syrian truffles are less fragrant than truffles found in France and Italy, and can only be found during the rainy season. The prized fungus can sell for up to $25 per kilo depending on size and grade – in a country where the average monthly wage is around $18. Between February and April each year, hundreds of impoverished Syrians still search for truffles in the vast Syrian desert, or Badia – a known hideout for jihadists that is also littered with landmines.
In March 2019, IS lost its last scraps of territory in Syria following a military campaign backed by a US-led coalition, but jihadist remnants continue to hide in the desert and launch deadly attacks. They have used such hideouts to ambush civilians, Kurdish-led forces, Syrian government troops and pro-Iranian fighters, while also mounting attacks in neighbouring Iraq.
